Opposition Member of Parliament Faiyaz Koya has expressed concerns regarding the timing of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communication Manoa Kamikamica’s presentation of the Investigation Report into Walesi PTE Limited to Parliament. Koya criticized the government’s decision to reveal the report without prior consultation with the Opposition, which left them unable to adequately respond to Kamikamica’s Ministerial Statement.
Koya emphasized that if the government intended to refer the findings to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), it was inappropriate to publicly discuss the report in the parliamentary setting. He argued that such issues should not be treated as political leverage and that it would have been more appropriate for Kamikamica to refrain from making any statement on the report until it had been properly addressed by FICAC.
In a related development, the FICAC has confirmed that they have received the investigation file from the Deputy Prime Minister. FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali has initiated a special task force to delve deeper into the matter. This move comes in light of a Special Audit Report from the Office of Auditor General, which revealed that the government allocated approximately $123.6 million for the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Project and the operations of Walesi PTE LTD from 2015 to 2022.
Ultimately, this situation underscores the importance of transparency and due process in governmental investigations. The appointment of a special task force by FICAC signals a serious commitment to investigating the matters raised, which may lead to greater accountability and trust in government operations. The ongoing scrutiny could pave the way for reforms in governance and financial management, making it a key moment for progress in Fiji’s political landscape.
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